Thermostat for car-heating systems



'Dec. 22, 1925.

E. H. GOLD ET AL THEBMOSTAT FOR CAR HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 27, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imfe 11.1315.

Dec. 22, 1925- 1,566,853

E. H. GOLD ET AL THERMOSTAT FOR CAR HEATING SYSTEMS Filed July 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I'nfen 1 01's.

'IIIll/IIIIII/IIIIIIIllllfllllllfllllllluumllflWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

ncsnnr II. GOLD, or cnrrcnco. AND rAUL SB. PARKS, or OAK ranx, ILLINOIS, AS-

srenons 'ro varon can HEATING COMPANY, 1116., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a cow PORATION OF NEW YORK.

THERMOSTAT FOR GAR-HEATING SYSTEMS. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EGBERT H. GOLD and automatically controlling'the operation of a.

car heating system, especially a steam heating system in which the inflow of the heating medium to the radiating coil or other radiator is governed by a thermostatic device subject to temperature changes in the car atmosphere; and the principal objectof the invention is to so locate, house, protect and arrange the heat sensitive element or elements of the thermostatic device that the device will function reliably and accurately in response to the peculiar and somewhat difiicult. requirements imposed upon a railway car heating system by the shape and construction of the car, the location of the radiating coils therein and the fact that the car while in service is moved at high speeds.

The invention consists in the new and improved constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated ob ect and such other incidental objects as will be referred to in the following description f the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompany drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a dia ammatic view of a heating system provided with a thermostatic control responsive to temperature changes Application filed July 27, 1923. Serial Ho..654,216.

4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan on line 5-5 of 3, and Y ig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the thermostat housmg.

Our invention is illustrated in connection with a heating system such as is disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,440,701 of J anuary 2, 1923 to E. A. Russell in which the car is maintained during periods of service at ordinary room temperature, by means of a high temperature thermostat; and when disconnected from the train at a considerably lower temperature, for the purpose of economizing fuel, by means of a low temperature t ermostat. These thermostats are brought into action, to govern the amount of heat delivered to the car, selectively by certain mechanisms which operate automatically. In illustrating the present invention the thermostatic device is shown as provided with two thermostats, one for actuation at high temperature and the other for actuation at low temperature, but it will be understood that so far as this invention is concerned it is equally applicable to a system intended to maintain the car atmosphere at one temperature only and utilizing conscquently only one thermostat.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, A designates the car radiator, B a steam train pipe from which the radiator is supplied through the ressure reducer or vapor regulator (J, and I; a four-way valve which in one position of its valve body brings about the circulation of steam through the radiator and back to the thermostat chamber of the vapor re lator, and in the other position closes the Inlet and outlet pipes of the radiator and short circuits the steam from the pressure reducing valve of the vapor regulator to the thermostat thereof. E is a'motor for operating the valve D, F a limit switch for cutting oif current from the motor as soon as the valve movements are completed, G is a high temperature thermo- In Fig. 1. the system is shown with the high temperature thermostat. .G in control but with its circuit open so that' theradiator A is receiving steam. In other 'words, the car is in service witlr the temperature below the desired temperature, which is ordinarily 70 Fahrenheit. Steam from train pipe B passes through pipe 10 to chamber 11 of valve D and'then- 1nto chamber 12 of valve D and through the radiating coil A. then through chambers 13 and 14 of valve D and by the return pipe 15 to the thermostat cas-- ing 16 of the vapor regulator C. The vapor regulator is a device in common use for controlling infiow to a radiatorin response to thermostatic conditions at the outlet of the radiator, which latter is open to the atmos-.

phere, the regulator therefore tending to eep the-radiator filled with steam atatmospheric pressure, With the ap aratus in the condition noted the armature 1 of relay J is held against an upper pair of'contacts 18, 19 through energization of the relay over a circuit'as follows:

Circuit No. 1.- Battery 20, wire 21, resistance 22, wire 23, coil of the relay J, wire 24 to battery.

As soon as the temperature of the car atmosphere reaches the point at which the high temperature thermostat G is set to operate, 70 Fahrenheit, for example, mercury column 25 of thermostat G reaches contact point 26 closing a circuit through the high temperature thermostat/as follows:

' contacts 31, 32 closing a circuit through 33 of valve operating motor E Circuit No. 2. CircuitNo. 1 to point 27 on wire 23, wire- 28, mercury column 25, wire 29 to point 30 on wire 24 and thence to batf. tery. I

This deprives relay J of most of its current andthe relay armature 17 drops upon solenoid coil as follows:

Circuit No. 3. Wire 21 to point 34. on

'wire 35, coil 33, wire 36, limit switch contact 37,. conducting portion 38 of limit switch F, contact 39, wire 40, contact 31, relay armature 17, contact 32, wire 41 to wire .24, and thence to battery.

The double core member '42 of motor E is moved-to the left and through lever 43 the valve body 44 ofvalve D is turned 90 thereby closing the inlet and outlet ends of radiator A and short circuiting steam from pipe 10 idirectly to pipe '15; The limit switch. also-connected to lever 43, is moved so'as to j bringf the insulated portion 45 beosin of the circuit ithrough either one or tween spring contacts 37, 39, breaking circuit No. 3 as soon as the valve movement is completed.

In case the temperature of the car falls .below circuit No. 2 will be broken, relay J energized, .and the parts of the apparatus 'restored- .to the positions which they are shown as occupyin in Fig- 1, the right hand coil 46 of mot-or E: eing energized through a circuit asfollowszq Circuit No. 4. Circuit No. 3 to point 47 on wire 35, coil, 46 of motor E, wire 47 spring contact 48 of the limit switch, conducting portion 38' of the limit switch (the switch being nowin its right hand position) contact spring 49, wire 50, cont-act 18, relay armature 17, contact 19, and wires 41 and 24 to the battery.

In order to put the low temperature thermostat Hfin control of the system, the contact roller 51 of the selector switch. I is moved into place between spring contacts 52 and 53 and a circuit provided'corresponding to circuit No. 2 for short circuiting the relay J. This circuit closes and opens at a lower temperature than circuit No. 2, for example, at 50 Fahrenheit, so that the high temperature thermostat circuit remains constantly open at the thermostat so long as the low temperature thermostat is in control. The low temperature thermostat circuit is as follows: i

' Circuit. No. 5. Circuit No. 2 to point 54 on wire 28, wire 55, contact spring 52 of selector switch I, roller 51, contact spring 53, wire 56, mercury column 57 of the low temperature thermostat I-I, wire 58 to wire 29 and by wire 24 to the battery.

It will be observed that 'in the operation of an automatically controlled. system of the type thus described, in order that the system should operate properly, the thermostat must respond promptly to fluctuations in temperature of the car atmosphere. That is to say, if the thermostat is set for 70 (assuming regulation during periods of serv-' ice) the mechanism should be actuated to shutoff thesteam from the radiator without too much delay after the actual car tempera ture reaches 70 andshould-not act to reopen the radiator until the actual car temperature reaches 70 or nearly that point, otherwise the car will be overheated. If the thermostatic mechanism lags to any ve'ry considerable extent, the primary, purpose of automatic regulation, namely, the maintenance of a constant temperature in the car, with: out thought or care on the tendant, will be defeated.

The conditions to-which a car heating system is subjected make the use of an ordinary wall thermostat, such' as is used for house heating, entirely impractical because of the extent to which such thermostat would be sensitive to thermal influences of part of the atan extraneous character. ,With the ordinary thermostatthe heat sensitive element heats and cools as the casing'in which it is placed heats and cools, the casing having, therefore,-considerable influence upon the action of such heat sensitive element. But in a house heating system .this extraneous influence'on the heat sensitive element is not very great and is, moreover, so nearly constant as to be a negligible factor. In house heat-' ing temperature changes are gradual so that the actuations of the thermostatic mechanism are relativel infrequent.

The heating 0 a railway car involves a iii lite difierent situation. The car is long and narrow with many windows and is moved at a highspeed so that the heat 'lost 1 by conduction through the walls is ver great, and this is particularly true of mo ern railway cars of steel construction. This loss of heat through the walls varies widely dependent upon a number of different facm a wayless capable of de tors The outside temperature, the force and direction of the wind, whether the sun is shining or not, and the position of the wall of the car with respect thereto, whether the car is standing or in motion, and, if in motion, the spec at which it is traveling. Furthermore, the changes in the temperature of a railway car occur much more he quently than the changes in the temperature of the ordinar dwelling house due to the constantly shifting osition of the car with reference to sun an wind, and the necessity for making stops, at which times the doors at the ends of the car are likely to be'open. The radiatin coils of a railway car are located along t e side walls near the floor and thev hot air from the pipes'rises in a stream of no very great thickness toward the ventilators in the clerestory, the stream bending outwardly to some extent at the windows. From this rising current the heat 1s difl'used through the bod of the car but ition andmore subject to variation according to prevailing conditions. In accordance with our invention the thermostat is spaced some distance fromthe carwall and is enclosed in a tubular housing, open at thebottom'and the top, the'heat sensitive element or elements, be-

. ing su ported in the middle of the air'passage t rough the housing so as to be out of direct contact wit the side wall of the housing. Preferab y the support is insulated or formed of heat insulating material and the housing is provided with a heat in sulating'lining. Preferably the thermostat is located at about the level of the of the windows but is laced on or directly b ve the va pan' h w e th window S l a ed and rr ng d he he most t s protected frbm influence of the'cold'w'alls and, to some extent, from theinfluence of eddy currents and drafts other than that of the main upflowing stream of air. The location of the thermostat is such that the housing intercepts this upflowing stream of air which passes through the housing and in contact with the bulb of the mercury tube, assuming that this type of thermostat is employed, as we deempreferable. In this arrangement the thermostat will respond accurately and quickly to fluctuations in temperature in the car atmosphere as a whole, although in very cold weather a certain clifference will exist between the temperatures of the air inside and outside the thermostat housing, as will be hereinafter described, producing a result which is considered desirable.

In Fig. 2, 59 designates the side wall of a railway passenger car, the clere-story of which is indicated at 60. One of the car windows is shown at 61. designates a tubular housing for the thermostat which is secured to the car wall by a bracket 71 at a point somewhat above the level of the windows and in line with one of the panels between adjacent windows. While this is considered as a preferred location conditions,

placed 74 ofthe s1de wall structure 59. 75 is an insulating bushing at the wall through which the wires pass. The lower end of the bracket is formed with a slot'7 6 and the head 77 of the housing is clam ed to the bracket by means of a screw 78 w ich draws the severed parts of the bracket together,

the screw passing through a groove 79 in a boss 80 formed on the u per surface of the head. The head is provi ed with depending u '81 formed wlth grooves 82 and the tu ular member 83 of the housing is secured to the lugs 81 by oflsets 84 which enter grooves 82. Y

A supporting late 85, preferably of 1nsulating materia, is secured by screws 86 to lu s 87- on the under side .of the head. The i h and low temperature thermostats G and are clamped to plate by clampin plates 88, 89 and a screw 90, plate 88 be ng formed with tongues 91 extending through openings in the plate 85 and being bent ov on tbefopposite side of the plate and with curvedgtongues 92 partially embracing the mercury tubes. The edges of the clamping plate 89 are also bent around the tubes as indicated at 93. The bulbs 94 lining of heat insulating material for the lower portion of the tubular member 83 of the housing, and 97 is a disc formed with.

a plurality of small perforations 98, which dlsc is supported within the lower end of the housing by brackets 99 held in place by an angular rim 100 on thetubular member very cold weather. VVhen'the outside temperature is very low in comparison with 'the car temperature the side wall of the car will be cold and as a result there will be a leakage of heat from disc 97 through brackets 99 and through the wall of the housing and its supporting bracket. The air entering the thermostat casing is therefore robbed of a certain amount of its heat so that, assuming that the thermostat is set for actuation at 70, the mercury column will not make contact to close the thermostat circuit until-the atmosphere of the carhas-reached a temper ature of 72. This difference in temperature may be varied by increasing or decreasing the openings in disc 97 and by posi-.

tioning the disc nearer to or farther from the thermostat bulb. In very severe weather it is desirable to maintain a temperature in the neighborhood of the thermostat somewhat above normal temperature in order to be more certain of keeping the rest of the car comfortably warm since with a low outside temperature the proportion between temperatures at the ends and middle of the cars is greater than for higher outside temperatures. In mild winter weather, or with the sun shining on the car, there is less difference between the temperature of the atmos phere within the car and the car wall. Un-

, der these conditions the disc 97 does not appreciably affect the situation. The thermostat will be actuated at approximately the temperature of the air in the part of the car surrounding the thermostat casing. While we have described our invention in a preferredembodiment, it is realized that considerablev modification might be made in the structural form and arrangement of the apparatus. We therefore desire to be understood as intending to cover all the modificabtions within the scope of the appended cla-tins. Wecla1m:

,L-In combination with a railway car, a

"radiator therein, a thermostat inside the car for ontrolling the circulation of heating..

medium through the radiator, a'housing having an air passage therethrough, and a support for the thermostat in said air passage composed of heat insulating material.

2. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat remote from the radiator and adapted to control the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a housing having an air passage therethrough. a lining of heat insulating material, and means for supporting the thermostat in said air passage .spaced from the housing wall.

3. In combination with a railway-car, a

radiator therein, athermostat. remote from the radiator and adapted to control the cir- 'culation of heating medium through the and provided with a heat insulating lining in which housing thethermostat-is located.

5. In combination with a. railway car, a radiator therein,;a thermostat within the car and'spaced from the wall thereof for controlling the circulation of heating medium through tlie'radiator, a tubular housing open at the top and bottom for passage of air therethrough, and a support for the thermostat in said housing wall thereof. i a

6. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a tubular housing open at the top and bottom for passage of air therethrough, and a support for the thermostat in said housing and spaced from the wall thereof which is composed 'of heat insulating material.

7. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a housing for the thermostat open at top and bottom only,

and a bracket for supporting the housing spaced from the wall of the @car so that a free air space remains between the car wall and the closed side of the housing.

8. In combination with a railway fear, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a housing for the thermostat, a bracket for supporting the housing spaced from the wall of the car,

and spaced. from the v and means for sup orting the thermostat in the housing space 9. ln'combination with a railway car, a

from the wall thereof.

radiator therein, athermostat remote from the radiator for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a housing for the thermostat, and a heat insulating lining in said housing.

- 10. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator, a housing for the thermostat, a heat. insulating lining in said housing, and a heatinsulating support within the housing for the thermostat.

11.- In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium. throu h the radiator, a tubular housing open at 1ts ends, a bracket for supporting the housing spaced from the car wall,.'and means forsupporting the thermostat within and spaced from the wall of the housing.

12. In combination with a railway car, a radiatortherein, mechanism for controlling the circulation of heating medium throng the radiator comprising a circuit making and breaking thermostat, and conductors leading, therefrom, a tubular housing for the thermostat, and a bracket for spacing the housing from the car wall. which is hollow for receiving the thermostat conductors.

13. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, mechanism for controlling the circulation of the heating mediumthrough the radiator comprising a circuit making and brealn'ng mercury tube thermostat, and conductors leading therefrom, a tubular housing in the space 1n whlch the mercury tube 1s suspended, and a bracket for spacing the housin from the car wall which is hollow for receiving thethermostat conductors. 14 In combination with a railway car, a

radiator therein, mechanism for controllin the circulation of heating medium throng the radiator comprising a clrcuit making and breaking mercury tube thermostat, a tubular housing sup orted on but spaced from the car wall an open at its upper and lower ends, a plate arranged centra y within the housing and spaced from the walls thereof, and means for supporting-the mercury tube on said plate.

15. In combinatlon with a railway car, a radiator therein, mechanism for controlling the circulation of heating medium-throng the radiator comprising a circuit making and breaking mercury tube thermostat, a tubular houslng supported on the car wall and open at its upper and lower ends, a

heat insulating limn forsaidi housing, a plate arranged withmthejiihousmg, and; means for supporting the mercury tube on" said plate. I

16. In combination with a rallway car, a radiator therein, mechanism for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator comprising a circuit making and breaking mercury tube thermostat, a tubular housing supported on the car wall and open at its upper and lower ends, a plate of heat insulatin material arranged within the housing an secured thereto at one end only, and means for supporting the mercury tube on said plate.

17.;In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, mechanism for controllin the circulation of heating medium throng the radiator comprising a circuit making. and breakin mercury tube thermostat, a tubular housing supported on the carwall and open at its ends, a heat insulating lining in the housing, a plate of heat insulating material arranged within the housing and secured thereto at one end only, and means for supporting the mercurytube on said plate.

18. In combination with a railway car, a

radiator therein, mechanism for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator'comprising a circuit making and breaking mercury tube thermostat, a tubular hOllSlIlg supported on the 'car wall and open at its upper and lower ends, a plate on which the thermostat is mounted arranged within the housing out of contact with the side wall thereof, and a perforated (has at the bottom of the housing secured to the wall thereof and directly below the bulb of the mercury tube 19. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heatin medium through the radiator, a metallic housing surrounding the thermostat, a bracket for supporting said housingcn the car wall, and a screening device for reducing the tem erature of the air entering the housin byeakage of heat through the housing and bracket to the car wall.

20. A thermostatic device comprising, in combination, a tubular housing member having a head formed with air outlets at its upper end, a bracket engaging said head for supporting the housing, a plate and heat insulating material secured to the under side ling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator,

means for supporting the thermostat from athe car wall but spaced therefrom, and means for shielding the thermostat from the influence of the air currents adjacent the car walL 22. In combination with a railway car, a

' radiator therein, a thermostat for controlthrough the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator,

a housing having an air passage there through, means for supporting the thermobetween the walls of the car an stat in the air passage, and means for supporting the housing from the car wall,'but spaced therefrom so that a free airspace remains completely around the housing.

24. In combination with a railway car, a

radiator therein, .a thermostat'for' controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator, a substantially tubular housing with openings at the ends to provide an air assage therethrough, a bracket for supporting the housing in substantially vertlcal position and spaced from one of the side walls of the car, and means for supporting the thermostat within-the air passage in the housing, whereby the thermostat is rotected from air currents flowing longitu mally of the car, and from currents flowing u along the car wall, but will be controlled y normal rising air currents in the interior of the ear. n

25. In combination with a thrmostat for controlling the circulationfof heating medium through a radiator in a railwa car, means for mounting the thermostat 1n the ear comprising a housing havingan air passage therethrough, means for sup orting the housing from a car wall but witg the walls of the housing spaced from the car wall whereby an unimpeded air passa e remains d the housing,'and means for supporting the thermo stat inthe' air passage. 26. In combination with a thermostat for controlling the circulation of beating medium through a radiator in a railwa car, means for mounting thethermostat 1n the car comprising a housing ,having an air passage therethrough, means forvsuplporting the housing from a car wall but an the walls of the housing spaced from the car wall,

and means for supporting the thermostat in the air passage but spaced from the walls of the housin 4 27. In combmation with a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating methrough a radiator in a railwa car, means for mounting the thermostat 1n the 'ling. the circulation of heatin 1,nee,sus

'a car wall, and spaced therefrom to provide a free air space completely around the housing, and means for supporting the thermostat in the air passage in the housing and spaced from the walls of the housing.

28. In'combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heatingmedium through the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator, a housing open at. its upper and lower ends only, in which the thermostat is enclosed, and means for supporting the housing and thermostat whereby they are entirely separated from the nearest car wall so that a completely uninterrupted air space exists around the housing.

29. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator, a

"housing open at its upper and lower ends only, in which the thermostat is enclosed, an a bracket projecting outwardly and downwardly from the car wall to support the thermostat and housing, whereb an entirely1 uninterrugted air spaceexists etween the ousing an the ad acent wall of thecar.

i 30. In a car heating system, a mounting for a thermostat comprismg a housing open at its upperand lower endsonly, to provide an air passage therethrough, means for supporting the thermostat within the air 'assage and a bracket projecting upwardy and aterally from the top of the housing to support the housin from the wall of a railway car but entirely outof contact therewith.

3 1. In combination with a railway car, a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlmedium through the radiator mounted wit in the car at a position remote from the radiator, a substantially tubular housing with openings at the ends to provide an air passage therethrough, a bracket for supporting the housing in substantially vertical I osition and spaced from one of the side wa s of the car, means for supporting the thermostat within the air passage in the housing, whereby the thermostat is protected from air currents flowing longitudinally of the car, and from currents flowing up along the car wall, but will be controlled by normal rising air currents in the interior of the car and means arranged in the path of the air flowing inradiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of heating medium through the radiator mounted Within the car at a position remote from the radiator, a substantially tubular housing with openings at the ends to provide an air passage therethrough, a bracket for supporting the housing in substantially vertical position and spaced from one of the side walls of the car, means for supporting the thermostat within the air passage in the housing, whereby the thermostat is protected from air currents flowing longitudinally of the car, and from currents flowing up along the car wall, but willbe controlled by normal rising air currents in the interior of the car and a perforated heat absorbing element arranged in the path of the air flowing into the housing-to eiiect a lag in the operation of the thermostat.

33. In combination with a railway car,

a radiator therein, a thermostat for controlling the circulation of a heating medium through the radiator mounted within the car at a position remote from the radiator, a substantially tubular housing with openings at the ends to provide an air passage therethrough, a bracket for supporting the housing in substantially vertical position and spaced from one of the side walls of the car, means for supporting the thermostat within the air passage in the housing, where by the thermostat is protected from air cur rents flowing longitudinally of the car, and from currents flowing up along the car wall, but will be controlled by normal rising air currents in the interior of the car and means for withdrawing heat from the air entering the housing so as to efiect a lag in the operation of the thermostat.

EGBERT H. GOLD. PAUL B. PARKS. 

